Method of making fibrous pulp from low-cost vegetable matter



' following is a specification.

Patented Oct. :7, 19241.

MARK W. MARSDEN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD or MAKING masons Pour-snore LOW-COST armaments an N'o Drawing.Application filed July 10,

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, MARK W. MAREDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the vcounty of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMethods of Making Fibrous Pulp from Low-Cost Vegetable Matter, of whichthe The objects of my invention are to provide a, method of producingfibrous pulp from waste or near waste vegetable growths such as cornstalks, cotton stalks, straw, etc., which may be used in making paper,ensv plosives, artificial silk, and other products requiring pulp fortheir manufacture; to

provide a method of producing such pulp by which the fibres will retaintheir natural strength and elasticity, and which the saccharine and 0thr useful elements are separated from the bras and recovered.

For convenience I -drill describe my invention as applied to themanufacture of pulp from corn stalks. l

The first step is xemdval of dust and dirt and the second is removal ofthe pith. Both of these steps'are old and may be effected by knownmeans. The residue is subjected to a steam bath, ate. temperaturePreferably not far above, or below 170 F., to reduce the material to asoft'and moist state in which the fibres are easil separable, and isthen passed through a s redding machine which may be of a known type.The shredded material is then passed to a fermentation vat Where itshould be kept at a temperature suflicient to produce fermentation butnot sufficiently high to caramelize the saccharine contents. 1 Thefermentation may be hastened by use of any ordinary ferment such asyeast. The fermented mass is then distilled. The distillation carriesover the sugars and carbo-hydrates and converts them into alcohol. Theresidue is placed in a closed digester and heated-under pressure, anacid or alkali'being added to aid in dissolving the encrusting matter.and pressureshould be only suliicient to effect the complete dissolutionof the encrusting matter. The fibrous residue is then washed toeliminate all acid or alkali thereby leaving the pulp absolutely freefrom'any foreign matter. The pulp is then ready for use and may bebleached, or colored as desired.

Obviously removal of the pith is not re The heat 1923. semi n@.','1as.

articles will produce a fibrous pulp in which the fibres retain theirnatural strength and elasticity and which, when used in paper making,.producespaper'of a uality far. superior to'that made from wood pulp andat far less cost. The pulp produced by my process is adapted for use formany purposes for which wood pul is not adapted;

Having thus describe my invention, what I claim as new and desire tzisecure by Letters Patent is 1. The herein described method of mak ingfibrous pulp consisting in freeing the material from dust and otherforeign mat-- ter: subjecting the material to a steam bath; shreddingthe softened material; fermenting the material, and distilling thefermented mass. m. 2.- The herein described method of makingv fibrouspulp consisting in freeing the material fromdust and other foreignmatter; removi'ng'the pith; subjecting the material to a steam bath;shredding the soft-- ened material; fermenting the material, anddistilling the fermented mass. fl;

3. The herein described method of making fibrous pulp consisting infreeing the material from dust and other foreign mat- -ter;subjecting-the material to a steam "mented' mass adding an acid oralkali to the fibrous residue; subjecting the product to heat underpressure, and washing the res due toremove the acid or alkali.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

r MARK W. MARSDEN. Witzgasses: LIZABETH Amp,

Cms. E. Paras.

